As an author and writing coach, I’m a big fan of good writing. I love a well-structured sentence or the perfect choice of word. But writing isn’t rocket science … and there are a few simple writing tricks you can use to write blog posts that are much more powerful and engaging. Before we get into those 9 tricks, though, here’s the why behind it: Fully engaged readers are more likely to remember your blog posts. They’ll get real benefits – they’ll learn something new, solve a problem, or feel inspired. And when that happens,

Pop quiz: You’re writing copy to introduce a fabulous new product or service. What’s the most effective way to proceed? You gather all the reasons why your offer is the best ever and carefully explain each one so your audience really, really understands just how great this is. You tell a story that taps into people’s emotions by showing how your offer would benefit their lives and change their future. Most people would pick A for three primary reasons, all of which turn out to be untrue:

“Jason, I strongly suggest you call me immediately!” The tone was harsh, bordering on threatening. This was by far the rudest voicemail I have ever received from a client. It was also for the smallest reason. My client had sent me an email telling me to meet her an hour earlier. It wasn’t a request; it was a command. No explanation. No apology. No room for argument. I politely asked her to keep the time we’d originally scheduled, and that was evidently greatly offensive to her. Thus the voicemail. When we had our call (at

You spend your days jumping from one task to the next. Answer this call. Answer this email. Do this. Do that. You keep telling yourself that you’ll find time to think about your long-term goals when everything quiets down. But somehow, this strategic thinking time never seems to happen. And you know what? It never will. Effective people don’t wait to strategize. They do it first.; I literally mean first — first thing in the morning, before most people are eating breakfast. Early mornings are a great time for taking care of those important but

“What should I DO, James?” It’s one of the most common questions I hear from readers, colleagues, friends… just about everyone I know. It goes like this: They get a great idea. They start to tinker with it and ask others what they think. The feedback’s good and they get excited. They tinker a bit more. They write a short to-do list. Then another to-do list about the stuff they shouldn’t forget on the first to-do list. And a third to-do list covers the “one day I should” to-dos that everyone has. It starts to

“I stay true to myself and my style, and I am always pushing myself to be original.” ~ Aaliyah, American recording artist The other day a friend mentioned he had started a blog as a way to earn some money on the side. I smiled, held my tongue, and finished the conversation without comment. But it got me to thinking about some of the deeper problems with the bloggosphere and success in general. Most bloggers start because they’re looking for a get rich quick scheme, some illusory easy path to fame and fortune. After writing for

It’s inevitable that when you’ve been blogging for a while, eventually your subscriber numbers are going to hit a slump. One solution that many probloggers tout as the answer is to write an ebook. It’s an effective way to encourage new signups and boost your traffic. But unfortunately, this means their thousands of loyal followers have also adopted the approach. Which means the blogosphere is absolutely saturated with ebook content. Readers are starting to tune out these pitches as so much white noise. And what were once considered cutting-edge techniques are quickly becoming conventional due

I simply have to rhapsodize about the following website design from MenWithPens. The site is http://www.petershallard.com - the design is resplendent, the copy compelling, and the content magnificent to boot....

Working withus is easy

Want to get in touch about your website, copywriting or ebook project? Fill in this short, easy form, and we’ll get back to you within 1 business day. Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (eastern time zone).

Want to hang out with us? You’ll find us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. See you there!